US5115481A - Multi-position optical fiber rotary switch - Google Patents
Multi-position optical fiber rotary switch Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US5115481A US5115481A US07/736,263 US73626391A US5115481A US 5115481 A US5115481 A US 5115481A US 73626391 A US73626391 A US 73626391A US 5115481 A US5115481 A US 5115481A
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- prism
- light
- optical path
- optical paths
- common optical
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
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Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
- G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
- G02B6/26—Optical coupling means
- G02B6/35—Optical coupling means having switching means
- G02B6/351—Optical coupling means having switching means involving stationary waveguides with moving interposed optical elements
- G02B6/3524—Optical coupling means having switching means involving stationary waveguides with moving interposed optical elements the optical element being refractive
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
- G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
- G02B6/26—Optical coupling means
- G02B6/35—Optical coupling means having switching means
- G02B6/351—Optical coupling means having switching means involving stationary waveguides with moving interposed optical elements
- G02B6/3524—Optical coupling means having switching means involving stationary waveguides with moving interposed optical elements the optical element being refractive
- G02B6/3528—Optical coupling means having switching means involving stationary waveguides with moving interposed optical elements the optical element being refractive the optical element being a prism
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
- G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
- G02B6/26—Optical coupling means
- G02B6/35—Optical coupling means having switching means
- G02B6/354—Switching arrangements, i.e. number of input/output ports and interconnection types
- G02B6/3554—3D constellations, i.e. with switching elements and switched beams located in a volume
- G02B6/3556—NxM switch, i.e. regular arrays of switches elements of matrix type constellation
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
- G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
- G02B6/26—Optical coupling means
- G02B6/35—Optical coupling means having switching means
- G02B6/3564—Mechanical details of the actuation mechanism associated with the moving element or mounting mechanism details
- G02B6/3568—Mechanical details of the actuation mechanism associated with the moving element or mounting mechanism details characterised by the actuating force
Definitions
- This invention relates to a multiple port optical fiber switch for providing for the exchange redirection of one common optical path with one of a plurality of other optical paths. It further relates to a sliding prism for exchanging the optical paths of two initially parallel beams by means of four refractions at their entry and exit points and two internal reflections per beam within the prism. Accordingly, it is a general object of this invention to provide new and improved switches of such character.
- optical fiber switches enable this reconnection to be accomplished from a remote point without the need for a craftsperson to perform this task by manually exchanging fiber optic connectors or splices.
- One principal class of optical fiber switches is the moving prism type in which the switching action results from the repositioning of a transparent reflecting and/or refracting prism in two or more parallel beams so as to cause the light travelling in the beams to change its course between sets of input/output fibers, coupled to the beams by lensed devices.
- a multiple port optical fiber switch which uses a hexagonal prism design particularly well-suited for this type of fiber optic switch.
- the switch has a central beam coupled to input and output fibers by lenses and has eight similarly coupled parallel beams symmetrically spaced around the central beam.
- On each of the eight beams is one hexagonal prism through which it passes undeflected until the prism is repositioned by a radially inward motion, and this results in the exchange of light between the central beam and the one beam from which the prism was moved. Only one prism may be so activated at a time.
- a spacer block is mounted between two parallel rectangular plates each having a stepping motor and gear drive attached to its outer side with a cogged pulley on its output shaft protruding therethrough.
- Each plate includes eight holes equally spaced around a ninth hole adjacent to the center of the spacer block. The plates are positioned relative to each other such that a light ray entering one of the holes will pass unimpeded through a cavity in the spacer block and exit through the corresponding hole in the opposite plate.
- a slotted cylinder having a first cogged pulley on one face thereof, is rotatively mounted in the cavity between the plates and positioned between the center holes.
- a slide housing an enclosed prism is mounted in the slot of the cylinder.
- a cam coupled to a second cogged pulley is connected to the slide such that rotation of the pulley causes a translation of the slide within the slotted cylinder.
- the slide rotates and translates radially outward, allowing the prism housed within to exchange light rays entering one of the holes on the circumference of the circle with light entering the center hole.
- the slide housing the prism within is initially aligned by the stepping motors.
- Three optical sensing beams between light sources and detectors, connected to a control microprocessor, are used to determine the position of the slide and align it to its initial reference position.
- FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the optical geometry of one embodiment of this invention.
- FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view of an optical fiber lens connector body, taken along the line A--A of FIG. 1.
- FIGS. 2A and 2B are illustrative views showing the effects the prism of one embodiment of this invention has on optical beams applied thereto.
- FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the slide and pulley assembly of one embodiment of the current invention.
- FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the stepping motor and spacer assembly for one embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 5 is an exposed top view of the spacer, including the slide alignment apparatus of one embodiment of the current invention.
- FIG. 1 The optical geometry of one embodiment of the invention is depicted in FIG. 1.
- One central beam path 10 extends in a straight line between fiber lens connector bodies 30 and 40.
- Eight equally spaced paths 11 through 18 surround the path 10 and are parallel to it and to each other.
- Each of the paths 11 through 18 is terminated at both ends by fiber lens connectors 31 through 38 and 41 through 48.
- the set of input fiber lens connector bodies 30 through 38 are located at the center of and on the circumference of a circle 21 on one side of a switch housing while the set of output fiber connector bodies 40 through 48 are located at the center of and on the circumference of a circle 22 on the opposite side of the housing.
- An optical fiber connector body 37 is, preferably, an expanded beam connector, such as depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,421,383, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
- an optical fiber connector body molded into the connector body recessed inward from the reference surface, and a third surface forming a focal plane of the lens and having a point thereon one focal length from the lens surface.
- the third surface is parallel to the reference surface.
- the hexagonal profile of the prism used in the present invention is the same as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,634,239 with the beam coupling input lens connectors 0 through 38 and output lens connectors 40 through 48 oriented the same as shown in FIG. 1.
- prism 52 is nominally located on beam 10 transmitting light along a central axis from input fiber lens connector 30 to output fiber lens connector 40.
- Means are provided for rotating prism 52 about this central axis while beam 10 continues to pass through the prism and while beams 11 through 18 remain uninterrupted.
- Means are further provided to stop the rotation when prism 52 is angularly aligned with beam 16, for example, and then to translate it radially outward so as to intercept beam 16 as shown in FIG. 2b resulting in light from input connections 30 and 36 to exchange paths and appear as outputs 46 and 40 respectively.
- the apparatus for producing this rotation and translation must fit within the space caged by beams 11 through 18 and should preferably not extend below the plane of the input connectors 30 through 38 nor above the plane of the output connectors 40 through 48 to avoid interference with their operation.
- One embodiment of the invention is apparatus 50 shown in FIG. 3.
- Prism 52 is mounted in slide 54 which can move radially in either direction in groove 56 of rotative mount 62 attached to cogged pulley 64.
- Affixed to slide 54 is cam slot 55 into which is engaged cam 66 of cogged pulley 68.
- Pulleys 64 and 68 rotate on ring bearings 74 and 78 respectively which are held in place by circular grooves on input and output connector mounting plates 84 and 88.
- Input mounting plate 84 is shown with input lens connectors 30 through 38 and output mounting plate 88 is shown with output lens connectors 40 through 48, both sets drawn for clarity separated from the plates onto which they are rigidly affixed (only lens connectors 37 and 47 are numbered).
- stepping motors 82 and 86 which drive cogged pulleys 72 and 76 via internal gear trains.
- Cogged drive belts couple the rotational motion of cogged pulleys 72 and 76 to cogged pulleys 64 and 68.
- These cogged belts also known as timing belts are routed between adjacent beams and provide a non-slip connection resulting in the necessary rotary motion for mount 62 and cam 66 within the caged space.
- Connector mounting plates 84 and 88 are fastened to spacer 90 to hold the rotative assembly consisting of pulleys 64 and 68, rotative mount 62 and cam 66 in place so that its parts can rotate on ring bearings 74 and 78.
- Spacer 90 has an internal cavity 99 shaped to accommodate the nine beams passing therethrough and to precisely assist the rotational alignment of slide 54 as it moves into one of eight semicircular positions to allow prism 52 to intercept one circumferential beam.
- a plan view of spacer 90 with rotative mount 62 in its reference position is shown in FIG. 5.
- the centers of the cylindrically concave semicircular sides 91 through 98 of opening 99 are symmetrically disposed about the central beam axis at distances determined by the prism design as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,634,239. As either cylindrical end of slide 54 enters one of the concave positions it is urged into exact angular alignment with the optical beam along the semicircular cylindrical axis of that position.
- the multi-position optical fiber rotary switch is operated by first stepping both motors 82 and 86 in synchronism when slide 54 is centered within groove 56 of mount 62 such that slide 54 and prism 52 within it rotate while remaining centered on central beam 10. This is continued until slide 54 reaches the angular position corresponding to beam 16, for example, after which motor 82 is stopped and motor 86 is further stepped until cam 66 of cogged pulley 68 rotates 90 degrees relative to stationary mount 62 and its pulley 64. Cam 66 rides in slot 55 of slide 54 causing it to move radially outward during which time it temporarily blocks beams 10 and 16, but upon reaching the 90 degree position, prism 52 exchanges the transmission paths between input ports 30 and 36 and output ports 40 and 46.
- any of the eight beams can be exchanged switched in this way with an initial rotation of mount 62 by 90 degrees or less followed by a relative rotation of cam 66 by plus or minus 90 degrees. This is because slide 54 can emerge from either end of slot 56 of rotative mount 62.
- optical sensing beams 110, 120, and 130 produced by light emitting diodes 111, 121, and 131, and received by photodetectors 112, 122, and 132 respectively.
- Beam 110 passes through hole 63 in rotative mount 62 only when mount 62 is initialized to its reference position midway between its angular positions required to move slide 54 into cylindrically concave sides 92 and 93.
- Slide 54 is initialized when it is in its mid position obstructing neither beam 120 nor beam 130 both orthogonal to beam 110.
- the operation of stepping motors 82 and 86 to reposition rotative mount 62 and slide 54 is controlled by a microcomputer.
- mount 62 is brought to its reference position by rotating both motors together until the digitized output from photodetector 112 is maximized.
- slide 54 is initialized by rotating motor 86 causing cam 66 to move slide 54 until photodetector 122 and 132 both detect their light beams.
- the sense of slide 54 motion relative to motor 86 rotation is noted and utilized by the program during normal switch operation.
- all nine beams conduct light straight from input lens connectors 30 through 38 to output lens connectors 40 through 48.
- the microcomputer activates the switch rotative mount 62 rotates +/-22 1/2 degrees or +/-67 1/2 degrees and then cam 66 rotates +/-90 degrees. Any of the eight switch positions can be reached in this way.
- the present invention is functionally equivalent to the multiple port optical fiber switch described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,634,239 but is much simpler in construction in that it requires only one beam exchanging prism. This results in considerable cost savings as these prisms must be made precisely if the switch is to have low insertion loss when used with single mode optical fibers.
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- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Optics & Photonics (AREA)
- Mechanical Light Control Or Optical Switches (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims (8)
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US07/736,263 US5115481A (en) | 1991-07-23 | 1991-07-23 | Multi-position optical fiber rotary switch |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US07/736,263 US5115481A (en) | 1991-07-23 | 1991-07-23 | Multi-position optical fiber rotary switch |
Publications (1)
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US5115481A true US5115481A (en) | 1992-05-19 |
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US07/736,263 Expired - Lifetime US5115481A (en) | 1991-07-23 | 1991-07-23 | Multi-position optical fiber rotary switch |
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Cited By (13)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5535294A (en) * | 1995-05-08 | 1996-07-09 | Ceram Optec Industries, Inc. | Connector for multichannel transmission of optical signals through rotating interface |
US5892620A (en) * | 1995-10-03 | 1999-04-06 | Stone; Thomas W. | Optical shuffle device |
US6320997B1 (en) | 1999-12-21 | 2001-11-20 | Agere Systems Optoelectronics Guardian Corp. | Self-aligning 1xN rotary optical switch |
US20070237528A1 (en) * | 2005-11-28 | 2007-10-11 | Schleifring Und Apparatebau Gmbh | Polarization-Maintaining Optical Rotary Coupling |
US20080175536A1 (en) * | 2007-01-24 | 2008-07-24 | Schleifring Und Apparatebau Gmbh | Two-Channel Multimode Rotary Joint |
US20080175535A1 (en) * | 2007-01-24 | 2008-07-24 | Schleifring Und Apparatebau Gmbh | Two-Channel Multimode Rotary Joint |
US20080226231A1 (en) * | 2007-03-12 | 2008-09-18 | Schleifring Und Apparatebau | Multi-Channel Optical Rotary Coupling of Low Reflectance |
US20080317407A1 (en) * | 2007-06-25 | 2008-12-25 | Schleifring Und Apparatebau Gmbh | Optical Rotating Data Transmission Device of Short Overall Length |
US20090303580A1 (en) * | 2008-06-06 | 2009-12-10 | Schleifring Und Apparatebau Gmbh | Lens System with Position Adjustment |
US7657138B1 (en) * | 2008-09-17 | 2010-02-02 | Verizon Patent And Licensing Inc. | Method and apparatus for providing free-space optical cross-connections |
US20100266294A1 (en) * | 2006-12-22 | 2010-10-21 | Schleifring Und Apparatebau Gmbh | Multi-Channel Optical Rotary Transmission Device with High Return Loss |
US11150410B2 (en) | 2019-07-16 | 2021-10-19 | Seagate Technology Llc | Movable optical switching medium |
US11588302B2 (en) | 2019-06-21 | 2023-02-21 | Seagate Technology Llc | Optical switches |
Citations (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4322126A (en) * | 1979-02-08 | 1982-03-30 | Nippon Electric Co., Ltd. | Mechanical optical switching devices |
US4421383A (en) * | 1980-01-17 | 1983-12-20 | Gte Laboratories Incorporated | Optical fiber connectors |
US4519670A (en) * | 1982-03-02 | 1985-05-28 | Spinner Gmbh, Elektrotechnische Fabrik | Light-rotation coupling for a plurality of channels |
US4634239A (en) * | 1984-08-03 | 1987-01-06 | Gte Laboratories Incorporated | Multiple port optical fiber switch |
US4872737A (en) * | 1988-09-07 | 1989-10-10 | Hitachi Cable Limited | Multi-port fiberoptic rotary joint |
US4973123A (en) * | 1988-09-13 | 1990-11-27 | Bts Broadcast Television Systems Gmbh | Electro-optical rotary coupling suitable for tape scanners |
-
1991
- 1991-07-23 US US07/736,263 patent/US5115481A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Patent Citations (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4322126A (en) * | 1979-02-08 | 1982-03-30 | Nippon Electric Co., Ltd. | Mechanical optical switching devices |
US4421383A (en) * | 1980-01-17 | 1983-12-20 | Gte Laboratories Incorporated | Optical fiber connectors |
US4519670A (en) * | 1982-03-02 | 1985-05-28 | Spinner Gmbh, Elektrotechnische Fabrik | Light-rotation coupling for a plurality of channels |
US4634239A (en) * | 1984-08-03 | 1987-01-06 | Gte Laboratories Incorporated | Multiple port optical fiber switch |
US4872737A (en) * | 1988-09-07 | 1989-10-10 | Hitachi Cable Limited | Multi-port fiberoptic rotary joint |
US4973123A (en) * | 1988-09-13 | 1990-11-27 | Bts Broadcast Television Systems Gmbh | Electro-optical rotary coupling suitable for tape scanners |
Cited By (22)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5535294A (en) * | 1995-05-08 | 1996-07-09 | Ceram Optec Industries, Inc. | Connector for multichannel transmission of optical signals through rotating interface |
US5892620A (en) * | 1995-10-03 | 1999-04-06 | Stone; Thomas W. | Optical shuffle device |
US6320997B1 (en) | 1999-12-21 | 2001-11-20 | Agere Systems Optoelectronics Guardian Corp. | Self-aligning 1xN rotary optical switch |
US20070237528A1 (en) * | 2005-11-28 | 2007-10-11 | Schleifring Und Apparatebau Gmbh | Polarization-Maintaining Optical Rotary Coupling |
US7734130B2 (en) | 2005-11-28 | 2010-06-08 | Schleifring Und Apparatebau Gmbh | Polarization-maintaining optical rotary coupling |
US7965943B2 (en) | 2006-12-22 | 2011-06-21 | Schleifring Und Apparatebau Gmbh | Multi-channel optical rotary transmission device with high return loss |
US20100266294A1 (en) * | 2006-12-22 | 2010-10-21 | Schleifring Und Apparatebau Gmbh | Multi-Channel Optical Rotary Transmission Device with High Return Loss |
US7724996B2 (en) | 2007-01-24 | 2010-05-25 | Schleifring Und Apparatebau Gmbh | Two-channel multimode rotary joint |
US20080175535A1 (en) * | 2007-01-24 | 2008-07-24 | Schleifring Und Apparatebau Gmbh | Two-Channel Multimode Rotary Joint |
US20080175536A1 (en) * | 2007-01-24 | 2008-07-24 | Schleifring Und Apparatebau Gmbh | Two-Channel Multimode Rotary Joint |
US7729571B2 (en) * | 2007-03-12 | 2010-06-01 | Schleifring Und Apparatebau Gmbh | Multi-channel optical rotary coupling of low reflectance |
US20080226231A1 (en) * | 2007-03-12 | 2008-09-18 | Schleifring Und Apparatebau | Multi-Channel Optical Rotary Coupling of Low Reflectance |
US20100189394A1 (en) * | 2007-03-12 | 2010-07-29 | Schleifring Und Apparatebau | Multi-Channel Optical Rotary Coupling of Low Reflectance |
US8160408B2 (en) | 2007-03-12 | 2012-04-17 | Schleifring Und Apparatebau | Multi-channel optical rotary coupling of low reflectance |
US20080317407A1 (en) * | 2007-06-25 | 2008-12-25 | Schleifring Und Apparatebau Gmbh | Optical Rotating Data Transmission Device of Short Overall Length |
US7876985B2 (en) | 2007-06-25 | 2011-01-25 | Schleifring Und Apparatebau Gmbh | Optical rotating data transmission device of short overall length |
US20090303580A1 (en) * | 2008-06-06 | 2009-12-10 | Schleifring Und Apparatebau Gmbh | Lens System with Position Adjustment |
US8265434B2 (en) | 2008-06-06 | 2012-09-11 | Schleifring Und Apparatebau Gmbh | Lens system with position adjustment |
US7657138B1 (en) * | 2008-09-17 | 2010-02-02 | Verizon Patent And Licensing Inc. | Method and apparatus for providing free-space optical cross-connections |
US11588302B2 (en) | 2019-06-21 | 2023-02-21 | Seagate Technology Llc | Optical switches |
US11150410B2 (en) | 2019-07-16 | 2021-10-19 | Seagate Technology Llc | Movable optical switching medium |
US11747569B2 (en) | 2019-07-16 | 2023-09-05 | Seagate Technology Llc | Movable optical switching medium |
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